The summer footwear poll I had up for a wee while there had an interesting result. It didn’t go at all how I thought it would, unlined trail shoes won, with waterproof boots second.
This makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Truthfully that’s probably the tea and home made cake doing that, but it’s a good feeling whatever.
- 35% Unlined trail shoes
- 22% Waterproof boots
- 18% Waterproof trail shoes
- 10% Waterproof mids
- 8% Boots unlined
- 4% Mids unlined
- 3% (of whom 99.99% are liars) Vibram Five Fingers
I’m now wishing I knew what the waterproof trail shoes are that people are wearing. I’m assuming it’s mostly Inov8s and Salomon XAs. I want a waterproof XA with an Inov8 aggressive sole on it, thanks.
Talking of that, we’re heading south to see Inov8’s ’09 ranges in a couple of weeks so I’ll have some news from that coming up. There is a suggestion that they’ve gone doolally and given all their shoes big thick soles. Unlikely, but it would be amusing.
Now, it’s humid, windy and pissing down. What the hell do I put on my feet this weekend.
No worries in regards of Inov-8 range for 2009. They gonna introduce a new range of women specific models but as far as “male” shoes those will remain as is with some cosmetic changes only. No thick soles… :-)
The new woman’s ones look better than the blokes. Again.
I want those colours on my feet!
This weekend I suggest wearing slippers and drinking tea :-(
As I have only a week left in full-time employment I have been devoting some time to thinking about ‘my perfect shoe’. Keen fit, Inov8 Roclite sole, New Balance 872 uppers, Salomon lacing, Nike custom colours.
Ah, departure to Norway approaches!
Man, that’s a shoe and a half you’ve made there…
I love the sole on my Inov8’s I think, they look much more up to the job than the Hedgehogs and XA’s, am I being sold on looks? If you stand still on stone they stick, it’s like being in a pub in the good old days!
My mum wants to get me some new ones ( I’m nearly 40 and she still cares for my feet!) and I’m after unlined ones, I really like the Inov8’s but will try on the Salomon and North Face ones as well, just in case!
I’ve said on a forum post I think my inexperience has helped me to get used to shoes, as I’ve not got a boot habit I need to beak, I’ve not got any particular habits at all yet, not been doing it long enough!
I was ssurprised there weren’t more using unlined trail shoes actually. Mind, I’d spend some of my time in either waterproof mids if I found some that didn’t leak, or unlined boots if I finally tire of wet feet….
I’m getting increasingly impressed by the lightness of the offerings from Inov-8. I like to take spare footwear on longer or foreign backpacking trips and 300g is the best I’ve achieved so far but for something that wouldn’t handle the mountains. The f-lite 230s were tempting, if bright, but when they launch the x-talon 212 next month that’s only 424g for a second pair of shoes that’ll do the airport, the restaurant or the mountains. I wonder how much lighter Inov-8 can go?
I’m liking the look of Brooks Cascadia 3’s, anyone else seen them? They looks like they have a good grip and are pretty lightweight too and if they have the usual Brooks fit they could be perfect for me. Now to find places selling the red ones…
I was out in my LaSportiva Crosslites today and they have scary amounts of grip, they squeak on certain surfaces.
LaSportiva are worth looking at next year, I saw the ’09 range during the week and there’s some killer models there.
In general, recession or not, everybody is pulling out all the stops to make better gear. It’s great.
Can I change my vote?
I voted for lined shoes,TNF Hedghogs, however I’ve been running in unlined TNF Coopers hills (does anybody else wear these? I’ve not met any other owners). I tried them on the mountains the other week for an overnighter and was happier with wet feet all day than I expected.
I’ll still use the hedgehogs in the colder months I think.
Wet feet are an enigma. It’s a thing that strikes terror into the heart of many, but something that’s actually quite pleasant on occasion and quite acceptable the majority of the time.
I think socks are a very important element here, as well as shoe fit.
I must be your 0.01% telling the truth about the Five Fingers then!
By the way have you tried Nike Air Orizabas? I’ve been using them for the past few years for AR as are developed and worn by Team Nike for winning, well everything going. Not many, if any places you can get them in the UK now, but with awesome waffle ‘sticky grip’ sole, good cushioning, tough but quick draining upper and quick lock laces, they have been the mutts nuts for my AR adventures, including World Champs, for the past few years. The only improvement I would make on them would be a better lace lock as on XA Pros, but the laces themselves are better than Salomon’s – well they don’t snap for a start!
Johnboy
Hey Johnboy,
Craig and I have both got Five Fingers as well!
The jury is still out though, I think the time spent training your feet to use them on the trail might be better spent. Time will tell no doubt.
Haven’t had even tried a set of Nike’s on in a couple of years. I’ll neeed to have a wee look for the Orizabas, still looking for the perfect crossover running/trekking shoe and they look a bit like a Montrail something with an Inov8 sole unit on them, interesting indeed.
I’m a little puzzled by talk of training your feet to use the Five Fingers on the trail. It’s something that Eddy Meechan mentioned in the last but one TGO as well.
Surely people that hike barefoot didn’t train their feet first?
As long as you’re not humping 20KG about (in which case you’re probably not reading this or interested in Five Fingers) then they’re easier on you than being barefoot. In terms of grip as well as protection.
I really fancy a pair but can’t stretch the budget any more this year!
Are you planning an a posting on them? :)